Boat-propelling mechanism.



PATBNTED Nov. 19, 1907 T. IHORSBN.

BOAT I:PROPELLING MBGHANISM. 'APPLICATION FILED MAB.1. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

v Iirz ma "l @mi ,99 wr =wff 110-871.459. n PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

T. THORSEN.

BOAT PROPELLING MECHANISM.

AAPPLI/OATION FILEDMAR. 1, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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PATBNTED NOV. 19, 1907.

T. THORSEN. BOAT PMPELLING MBGHANISM.

APPLIOATION Pimm MAR. 1, 1901.

Nuus-SHEET 4.

unnnnhnnn To all whom it may concern:

lunirse sfrarns PATENT @Version `THOMAS THORSEN, OF MENOMONIE, WISCONSIN, `ASSIGNOR TO SUBMERGED ELECTRIC MOTOR COMPANY, OF MENOMONIE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed March 1. 1907- Serial No. 360.113.`

Be itknown that I, THOMAS THoRsnN, a citizfenyof the United States, residing at Menomonie, in the county of Dunn and State of WVisconsin, have' invented a new anduseful Boat-Prope1ling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved construction, in matters of detail, of a combined as-eiigine and boatpropellerL in; a light an compact structure adapted-ff'f'for ready a plication to and re-y moval from the sternoard of a boat to opcrate, when inplace, as the propelling and. `steering means therefor.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure' 1` shows my improved motor in side elevation removably secured to the sternboard of a boat, of which a broken sectionjs represented; Fig. 2, a view in vertical sectional elevation of the lower part of my imroved motor, being the portion thereof emraced by the bracket 2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a

l similar view ofjtheupper part'of my improved motor, being the portion thereofemraced by the bracket 3 on Fig. 1, this view being a continuation of the View presented Fig. 2 and, like the latter, taken in the p ane lndica-ted byV the line 3 on Fig. 4 and` viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. '4,

a section taken at the line 4 on Fig. 3` and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 5,

a broken view in elevation showing the starting crank; Fig. 6, a section through the carbureter taken at the line 6 on Fig. 3 and viewed' in the direction of the arrow, and

' Fig. `7, a section taken at the line 7 on Fig. 6

j and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

i the The casing of the-engine is a casting, preferably of aluminium for the sake of lightness,

consisting of the intermediate bodyortion 8,' a ca 9secured on the lower ex an edend of od and a cap 1,0 secure on its upper end. The intermediate section 8 conta1ns the cylinder 11 rovided with an internal bushing. 12,` and 1s also formed, laterally of the cyl1nder,with a tubular socket 13, shown vto be internally threaded at its lower end, for

the purpose hereinafter ex'plained. In the junction between the cap 9 and the bod 8 is formed a bearing 14, rendered water-tig l b y a stutngebox 15, for a rotary shaft 16 carrying on its outer end the propeller 17, the hub of which has close bearing against the casing,

as shown. In line with the Shaft 16 in the opposite side of the casing, is journaled in a bearing 18, a rotary shaft 19 carrying a vertically disposed bevel-gear 20. The shafts 16 and 19 pass, at their reduced, tapered inner ends, through the centers of fly-wheels 21 and 22,@res ectively, at the inner sides of which the s afts areseoured by nuts 23. A wrist-pin 24 passes eccentrically through the fly-wheels and has journaled up y 1t the lower end ofthe rod 25 of the piston v in the cylinder 8, in the bottom of which'is an open,

ing 27 through which the piston-rod works. A tube 28 is supported in the socket 13, being screwed at its threaded lower end therein, or otherwise rigidly fastened insaid socket to Y adapt it to carry all the artsof the medhanism of the motor and a ord a stem through which to support it rotatably, as hereinafter described, upon a boat. 'A rod 29, for operating the starting and sparking mechanisms, as hereinafter explained, extends through the vertical'tube 28- and seats in the bearing 18 rotatably at its lower. end, on which it carries the bevel-gear 30 conned by.' the adjacent end of the tube in engagement-with the gear 20 and carrying on its upper face roam 31. In the` upper plart of the tube 28 is a bushing 32 in which t e rod29 finds bearing..

The cap 10 forms the explosion-chamber 33 having an exhaust-outlet 34 provided in a neck 35 extending downwardly from this cap and containing adischarge-.port 36 for the ex` haust leading through the socket 13 and tubey 28 into the latter.v An' upwardly opening valve 37 seats in theoutlet 34 and has a depending stem 38 passing guidingly through the base of the neck 35 and through a bear' ing 39 projecting laterally from the c linder 8 to engage at its lower end with the ead of a ,plunger 40 confined in a bearing 41 in the casing to adapt it to be vertically reciprocated under the action ofthev cam 31, into the path of which the lower end of the plunger extends. 42 confined between the base of the neck 35 and a collar 44 on the stem.

At the junction of the cap 1D with the upper end of the socket 13 is a'stuff'lng-box 45, affordin a water-tight 'oint underthe pressure of e cap when bo ted down in place.l

The valve 37 is seated by a spring The cap" 10 has projecting about an open- I in'g 46 in 1t a nipple 47, into which is screwed the lower endo a sparking-plug 48 carrying v contained in a supply-tank 56 having a cena terminal 49, theother terminal being contained. in an insulating tube of soft rubber 51 which' extends partway through the plug into `the chamber 52 therein, and mica or other insulation 53 surrounds .the terminal 50 from a point near which the tubing 5 1 terminates. The chamber 52 is filled with asphaltum 54, which also enters the space between the insulating media 51 and 53, and is confined by a gland 55 in the upper end of the sparking-plug casing. It is found in practice that the soft rubber tubc around the high-tension wire 50,.embedded in as halt 54 in the Vsparking-plug, affords a per `ectly water-tight insulation. l

The gasolene for supplying the engine is tral tubular opening 57 at which it surrounds the stern 28, seating about thelower end of the opening against the head 58 lof the tiller 59,. at which head the tiller is securely fastened upon the stem. A pipe 60 leads. from .the base of the gasolene-tank 56 into a carbureter 61 in which a needle-valve l62 works' for the usual purpose, being heldin adjusted position bya spring 63 bearing against its circumferentially notched hand-wheel 64.

A valve 65 in the carbureter seats in the air' inlet opening 66, and when seated closes the gasolen'e inlet-passage 67 controlled by the needle-valve 62, and is pressed against itsk seat by algspring 68 surrounding its Stem 69, Thecarbreter communicates with a mixingtube 70 which leads horizontally, just below the .lane .of the tiller, and tin/ence downwar y to the mixing-chamber 71, herein-- after described. The horizontal portion of the mixing-tube 70 contains al perforated diaphragm 72, against which Works a rotary l perforateddiske'valve 73, for the usual pur-v pose of controlling the ow through the tube,

" secured a i caring-collarV 82" rotata-bl rounded'by the annular head 83 ofthe andley regulating the registration of the perforar'. tions in the valve with' those in the .dia- ,phmgmf The valve 73 is ona stem 74 provided' on its outer. end with a circumferentially notched hand-wheel 75, andv a spring 76 engages the hand-wheel for holding the valve in adjusted position.

The mixing-chamber .71"seats on the engine-cap 10.0ver an opening 77 therein directl'y o ver the'valve 37 and has seated in itl a downwardly opening valve 78 on a stem 79 working 1n gul es 1n the m1x1ng-ch amber and having confined about it therein a spring 80 tending to maintain the valve against itsv seat. The mixing-chamber contains a port 81 with which the lower end ofthe depending portion of the mixing-tube 70 is con- On the u per end of the tubular stem 28 is sur- 84 of the device for operating the sparkingplug. This handle is ada ted to be turned Ona segment 85 supporte on arms extendff' on the rotary starting-rod 29, Where y -v when this spring and iinger are brought into contact, the cours'e of the current is through the metal casing of the motor to the te'rminal 49 of the sparking-plug and thence to the terminal 50 which forms the returnwire.,v

For manually starting the motor the usual form of device shown in Fig. 5 is provided, consisting of a crank-handle 91 applied to the upper. end of the rod 29 to engage at its notched head 92 with a pin 93extendin transversely through the rod.

-For attachin the motor 1 to the sternboard 94 of a oat, it is provided with va bracket 95,-adapted to be removably attached to the stern-board, .-as clearly represented in Fig. 1. This bracket is provided with upper and lower split collars 96-and 97, to surround thest'em 28 vnear its yupper end, being fastened by b olts- 98, 98, passed vthrough their projecting ears. motor is sustained yieldingly by the tube 28 The entire on the bracket through the medium of a sprng-cushion support, consistin of a collar 99 ri idly but adjustably fasten tubu ar stem and having confined vbetween .100' about the it and the collar 96, aboutv the stem, a spring' 100, and between it and the 'collar 97 ,about -the tube, a Aspring 101. AThis cushioning support for the motor takes up' the vibra-- tions of theA engine and prevents therri from being felt in the boat. j

The engine'illustrated and described is ,the four-cycle type. j To start it, the crank-handle 91 is manipulated to lrotatethe startingrod'2`9 and throughthe gearing 30, 20 actu. ate the piston26 to draw as into the 'chamber 33 *by the suction-e ect of the downl stroke of the piston upon the valve`78, to.

open the latter. Thusrotating the startingrod actuates the sparking-plug to ignitet'he charge in the explosion-chamber whlle under compression from vt'hepiston, all as is usual in. this type of engine. vThe partsA are so timed that after each explosion the cam 31 will raise the plu-nger 4() to lift the valve 37 from its seat and (permit the exhaust through the'outlet 3,4 an port 36 into the tube'28,

which is equipped, near its upper end, Witha m-uHler 102 ofsuitable. constructionfsuch as that shown in detail-in Fig. 3. By thus tak'- ing the exhaust through the stem 2 8 the p'rovision vfor the exhaust-is rendered-peculiarly simple and compact. -It will also be ob-k tubeto be provided of comparatively great" ,length, with the advantage of insuring thorserved that the throttling of 'the-gas-supply is .effected at. a point so far away from the mixing-chamber as to enable the mixingougvhness in the mixture of the charge.

' 1th-v the motor in operative position on the boat, the engine is submerged in the Water and is thus water-jacketedin the most effective manner; and with the supply-tank for gasolene supported `on the upper end of the stem 28,it is outside of the boat, so that p leakagefrom it .cannot take place into the boat where it would be' dangerous, owing to liability of ignition and consequent accident.

The described construction of sparkingplug-controlling mechanism is peculiarly simple and eective for regulating the speed the vmedium'of a stem carryingthe motor' androtatably'carried by the bracket, permits'the'motor, when in operative position on a boat, to be turned to vany desired angle for steering-under the action of the rotating propeller'.v By this ready steering function of the motor, itserves, as is shown inpractice, tot1 1rn around,`within its own length, a boat as long as thirty feet. Furthermore, .it will be apparent that by the described construction., turning the motor a half i'evolutionin the bracket from the position shown,

vwill cause it to propel the boat in thebackward direction, thus avoiding any necessity -for reversing ,the engine for the purpose.

What Ilclaun as new, and-desire to secure LettersPatent, is-

f i 1. In combination, a combinedsubmergible gas-engine and boat-propeller, a st em -forming, `the carrying medium f therefor, a

' bracketfremovably attachable to the stern of la' boat and 4onjwhiczhsaid stem is rotatablyp l supported, 'acushioning support forthe stem 55 on thebra'cket, anda tiller connected with the stem@ medium! therefor, a

of a boat and on which said stem is rotatably supported, and a spring. medium supporting said stern on the bracket and forming a v1-- -bration-absorbngcusbion. i

pro ucepoint in the rota- 2'. In combination, a combined submerg'ible gas-engine zand boat-propeller, a stemA vf'orrmngthe 'ca' v o bracket' removably attachableto .the stern 3.-- In combinatio'n,1aI corrrlnned` submergeble gas-engine 'and -boat-proip'eller, a stem forming the carrying mediulntherefor, ai

bracket removably attachable to the' stern of a boat and provided-with collars in which said stem is journaled, a collar secured on the stembetween said bracket-collars, -and springs confined'a-bout the steinfbetween the 'collar secured thereon and said bracket-collars.

4. In combination, a combined submergible gas-engine and boat-propellen. a tubular; stem formi the carrying medium therefor,-

and into which the engine exhausts, a.muiilerv on said stem, and a'bracket removably l attachable to the stern of aboat' and on which said stem is rotatably sup orted. f 1

5. In combination, a combinel ,'siibmergible gas-engine and boat-propeller havin 'a stem forming the carrying medium there or,

a gasolene-supply tank, an adjustablev electrical contact-device supported onsaid-stemfor controlling the .operatlon of the sparkingvplug of the engine, anda-'bracket removably attachableA to the stern of a boat and on whichsaid stem is rotatably supported.

6. In combination, a combined submergible gas-engine and boat-propeller havi a stem forming the carrying medium there or, a gasolene-supply tank supported on the u -J per end of said stem, a valved mixing-tu el leading from a point adjacent to said tank to the mixing-chamber of the engine, and a bracket removabl attachable to the ste-rn supported'.

7. In combination, a combined submergi-A blegas-engine and boat-propeller having a tubular stem. forming the carrying medium therefor, and b which the motor 1s adapted to be supporte on a boat,vwith the exhaustfrom'the explosion-chamber of the engine o ening into said stem, and a muiiler on sald s em..

8. In combination, a submergible casing4 containing a gas-engine and carrying a p ro-z a tubular stemforming the ca ng medium for saidpmotor, a starting-ro journaled insald stem and 1hav1ng a gear-connectlon withA the engine, and -manually-operatedst'arting mechanism supported on said rod.

of a boat and on 'w 'ch'said stem is rotatably f :11'0 peller connected therewith to form avmotor,

- 9. In combination, a' submergible casing .containing a gas-engine and carryinga pro- -peller connected therewith to form a motor',

a tubular-stem .forming the ca r `ng mediin saidstem and-having agear-connection with the` engine, and adjustable electricaly contact-mechanism for the4 sparking-plug of the en ine,` su ported on saidstein and rod.

f 10.' n com ination,l a lsubmergible casing -containingfa gas-engine and carrying apro- '.peller connected therewith to .form a motor, l -3. ti'1b-ula1ste'niiorming the ca for saidm'otor, a starting-ro journal'ed Ain said stem and'havng al gear-connection with the engine, and falectrical contactmechanism for the sparkmg-plug of the engine, consisting of a-contactflnger secured 5 on said' rod near its up er end, a handle, ro-

tatably supported on t e upper end of said stem and an insulated contact-'spring on said tric circuit,

YTHOMAS THORSEN.

In presence. of-

JOHN HoPWooD, C. E. FREEMAN. 

